Way of the Gods
by animatedrose
Summary: 1000 years ago, the Legendary Pokemon were driven away from the world for not lending help to the world when it needed them. Since then, the world became dark, cold, and cruel. Hearing the tales about Pokemon with god-like powers, a young Eevee named Hikari is thrown from her home and searches for them. Danger is around every turn. Can she save her world from imminent destruction?
1. Prologue

This story was requested by Aristicus to be posted here. I have chosen to do so.

Much like the Pokemon Adventures manga, the chapter titles start with vs. (versus). That doesn't necessarily mean there is a fight against the Pokemon listed in the chapter title. There could just be an argument or negative conflict.

As you can tell here in the prologue, this was written before Gen 5. Thus, no Gen 5 Pokemon have appeared and the Gen 5 Legendaries are not mentioned in the story that Hikari's brother tells her.

I hope you like it! Enjoy!

Pokemon: Way of the Gods

"_Over 1000 years ago, the world was governed by many Pokemon with god-like powers. They were usually placed in pairs or trios. Three birds to command fire, ice, and lightning. Three dogs to control volcanoes, thunderstorms, and northern winds. Three beings to represent emotion, willpower, and knowledge. A single entity made from lava that formed the great Stark Mountain. Three golems of stone, ice, and steel, led by a single golem of immeasurable power. A pixie capable of time travel. Two sacred birds, one of sky and one of sea. A psychic feline and its man-made clone. Two Eon Pokemon, twin dragons of blue and red. A beast to expand the sea and another to expand the land. A dragon serving as protector of the skies. A wish-granter who sleeps 1000 years before awakening for seven days. A strange alien that came from outer space with the ability to shift forms. A lord of time and a lord of space. A creature ruling an alternate dimension opposite of our own. A ruler of nightmares and a queen of dreams. A prince of the sea and its dew-making young. A flower-lover of gratitude. And, leading them all, is the god of all Pokemon…_

_But one day, we drove the gods away. Disasters occurred and many died. The gods did not help us. What good were they if they allowed us to die? So we drove them away. Where, nobody knows. Some say to the top of Mt. Coronet and others say to another world entirely. Nobody cared, though. The gods never helped us. We didn't need them._

_Our world grew dark and dangerous. The lands shifted, forming mountains and gorges. The sea formed tsunamis and drowned many. The land turned against us, becoming too dangerous to travel across all alone. Some Pokemon went insane, becoming wild Pokemon. Nothing was safe any longer._

_The sun never came out, covered by an endless mass of black clouds. But still, we kept our independence. We continued to live our lives without the gods. Many died but we kept our decisions firm. The gods never returned…"_

"That was an amazing story, big brother! Is it true?"

"Yes, Hikari. It's true. 1000 years ago, we drove the gods away because they didn't help us in our time of need."

"Maybe they _were_ helping us,"

"Don't say that, Hikari. It's just a story. We don't need the help of gods. Our lives are fine the way they are."

"But—"

"No 'buts'. Now get into bed and go to sleep. We have work to do tomorrow."

"Okay…good night,"

"Good night, Hikari."

The Umbreon vanished down the tunnel of their underground home, leaving his little sister to sleep. But Hikari did not want to sleep. Getting up, the tiny Eevee yawned and looked around her small room. It was plain but comfortable. She wished to see the sky, even as stormy as it always is.

"Pokemon with god-like power," the Eevee whispered. "I wonder where they all went…"


	2. Chapter 1: Vs Skitty

Chapter 1: Vs Skitty

"On your marks…get set…begin!"

Dust flew into the air as the two Pokemon charged, crashing into each other as the battle began. One was Hikari the Eevee. The other was a small pink kitten, a Skitty known as Petal. Usually best friends, their training now called for them to put aside their friendship and battle each other.

Once they reach a certain age in Sunako Village, young Pokemon begin training themselves for the day they leave their homes behind them to follow their own paths in life. But with the world being as dangerous as it is, they had to be prepared to fight and even kill to defend themselves from wild Pokemon. Life now was all about survival of the fittest. If you aren't prepared to kill, you won't make it out there in the open.

Hikari and Petal jumped away from each other, landing on their specific halves of the battle field. Hikari could hear her older brother, Dusk, cheering her on from the stands. Petal's own parents, a pair of battle-worn Delcatty named Jewel and Talon, watched silently. The young Skitty could've cared less. Her focus was on the battle. This was their final test before they would be declared as adults and allowed to leave home. Failure would mean ridicule. Success would mean freedom.

The Nidoking referee raised the two flags, one brown and one pink. "Continue the battle!" he cried, waving the flags down to signal the start of Round 3.

During the final test of the battle training, the young Pokemon would battle against a randomly-selected opponent through three rounds of fighting. If one or both opponents remained standing through all three rounds, they passed the test. If one or both faint before making it past all three rounds, they failed the test. The objective was to remain standing no matter what.

Petal used a well-aimed Growl, only to retreat quickly as Hikari charged. The Eevee used Tackle, knocking Petal to the ground. Hissing, the Skitty got up and tackled her back. Hikari turned and smacked her away with Tail Whip, panting for breath. The blood was roaring in her big ears.

"Ten…nine…eight…"

The Nidoking's booming voice alerted the pair to the timer. Each round was timed to a limit of five minutes each. Hikari and Petal's battle only had eight seconds remaining.

While Hikari was distracted by the time, Petal struck with Tackle and knocked her to the ground. The Skitty then hit the Eevee with Fake Out, causing Hikari to flinch. Another Tackle and Hikari was on the ground, ready to faint.

"Four…three…two…"

Hikari looked up at her best friend with pleading eyes. Petal smiled and backed away, sitting down as Nidoking let off the loud roar that signaled the end of the test. They had both passed.

"Need a paw?" Petal asked.

"Thanks," Hikari accepted the paw and got up, shaking the dusty sand out of her brown coat.

"No biggie." The Skitty led the way as they left the arena behind them. "So, what was it that you wanted to tell me earlier?"

"You know those stories about the Pokemon with god-like powers?" Hikari asked.

"Yeah," Petal nodded. "Who doesn't know those stories? Why do you ask?"

"Do you really believe that they didn't help us back then, Petal?" the Eevee asked.

"Well…I don't know. Why?"

"I think they were trying to help. Maybe the Pokemon that died were bad Pokemon." Hikari said.

"What about when the great flood nearly wiped us out 1500 years ago?" Petal countered. "But what does it matter anyway, Hikari? They're just stories."

"I want to find out if they're really real, Petal!" Hikari declared. "Our world's horrible right now! Maybe the gods can fix it."

"They didn't help us back then. Why would they help us now?"

"Because we'd ask them to!"

"We asked them to help us 1000 years ago, Hikari!" Petal growled. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden? Those are just stories! Our world is fine! Sure, it's harsh but that's reality!"

"But…"

"Hikari!"

"Huh?" The Eevee turned around to see her older brother standing there. "Oh… Hi?"

"What were you talking about?" Dusk asked, a sharp edge added to his words.

"She was talking about those old stories about the gods, Dusk." Petal replied.

"Hikari, they're just stories that we use to show how we gained our independence." Dusk explained. "The gods made mistakes and we got our revenge against them. Look how much more freedom we have now than we did before."

"But at what cost?" Hikari cried.

"Hikari!" Dusk hissed, noticed the stares aimed at them.

"Pokemon are dying, disasters are around every corner, and life is downright horrible! You've told me how life was when the gods were around, big brother, and it sounds way nicer than life is now!" Hikari cried.

"Hikari, shut up!" Dusk barked. "Do you want to get thrown out of the village?"

"I wish life was back to the way it was before our ancestors drove away the gods!" Hikari shouted.

Everything became quiet. Opening her eyes, Hikari gasped and backed away in fear. Everyone was staring at her in horror and shock. A few even fainted. Dusk was shaking his head in sorrow while their parents wept. Confused, she tried to ask what was going on. Then a paw landed on her tail, stopping her in her tracks. Looking up, she gasped in terror.

Lucario, Sunako Village's guardian and the bane of wild Pokemon everywhere, glared down at her. Reaching down, he snagged her by the scruff and picked her up roughly. "So, you don't appreciate our way of life?" he asked coldly. "We've survived just fine in this world. The gods abandoned us and, in turn, we abandoned them. We do not need their help. I'll ask you one last time. Do you not appreciate our way of life?"

Hikari gulped, shivering. "I like our way of life…but I think it was much better before the gods left."

Lucario sighed and shook his head. Slowly, the villagers made their way back to their homes. Dusk nudged his parents to their den, not even looking at his sister. Tears of rage ran down his furry cheeks as they vanished underground. Once everyone was gone, Lucario began to walk toward the entrance of the village.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Hikari cried, struggling. "Mom! Dad! Dusk!"

"Nobody's coming to help you, young one." Lucario said. "You've made a choice to break the rules of our village. If you wish to believe in the gods, then you better start praying. You'll be on your own from now on, kid."

"What?" Hikari cried.

She was being exiled. That was the ultimate punishment any Pokemon could ever receive in their village. If you were exiled, you were left to fend for yourself in the open. No village would take you in once they saw your mark. Basically, you were dead meat unless you could fight for yourself. But in Hikari's case, as a young Level 10 Eevee, she stood no chance on her own.

Struggling even more fiercely, she yelped as Lucario dropped her on the ground at the village entrance. Turning, she attempted to dart back in but was pinned to the ground by Lucario's paw. A sharp pain shot through her left front paw, making her scream. Then she was picked up and tossed out into the desert.

Looking up with watery eyes, she saw Lucario walking away. Petal, peeking out from her den, shook her head in sadness before retreating. Hikari had been abandoned. The Nidoking referee stood at Sunako Village's entrance, silently daring her to try getting past him. Hikari didn't bother. She couldn't win against him.

Getting up, she slowly walked away from the village she had called home for her entire life. Looking at her paw, she saw an X-shaped scar that oozed blood. It was her mark of exile. From now on, she was all alone in the wilderness of this disaster-ridden world.

Limping onward, she looked up at the dark skies that had appeared 1000 years ago when the gods were driven away. "Maybe I can find them…" she whispered. "Maybe I can change this world…if I live long enough out here."

She kept moving, vanishing in a cloud of dust as a sandstorm started brewing. Up in the dark skies, a tiny point of light appeared and disappeared for the first time in 1000 years. This is the start of Hikari's journey to find the Pokemon who possessed god-like powers and, unknowingly, save her world from imminent destruction.


	3. Chapter 2: Vs Skorupi

Chapter 2: Vs Skorupi

It was hot. _Very_ hot. And it only seemed hotter since Hikari had a fur coat. The young Eevee was panting, her breath coming in short gasps. The dry air was burning her throat and the sand wasn't helping. Her paw pads were cracked from dryness. Hikari was parched, desperate for water. She felt ready to faint.

Twice already has she fallen for mirages of lakes and villages, her hopes dashed upon only finding more sand. Cacti were beginning to appear and with it, the first wild Pokemon Hikari ever laid her eyes upon. And, honestly, she was scared.

First were a few small brown birds with red wings and sharp beaks. From what she remembered her older brother mentioning, they were called Spearow. A few perched on cacti while others circled above, seeming to watch her with their beady eyes.

Then she saw strange yellow mice digging through the sand. They were Sandshrew, ground-dwelling mammals that were common in the desert. With them was another mouse with sharp claws and brown spines on its back. It was Sandslash, the evolved form of Sandshrew. And boy, was it menacing.

At one point, Hikari saw a silver bird flying overhead. It was a lone Skarmory searching for food to feed its young. Hikari ducked behind a cactus, not wanting to become a meal for the metallic bird. The Skarmory passed by, never noticing her. Once she was certain it was gone, the Eevee continued onward.

Many times during her exhausting trek, she stumbled upon Trapinch dens and barely escaped being bitten by the angry orange ants. Careful to avoid cracked ground, the Eevee slowly became paranoid. There were so many strange things out here…along with so many dangerous Pokemon. She had escaped injury so far…but not for much longer.

As Hikari walked, her ears suddenly registered the sound of clicking. Suddenly very afraid, she slowly turned around to see what the source was. It was a purple scorpion with blue eyes and white spikes on its first pair of legs, tail, and mouth. The Pokemon, a Skorupi, continued clicking the spikes on its mouth together, scrutinizing the new creature wandering through its territory.

"Um…hi?" Hikari squeaked, her voice cracked from dryness. "I…I'm Hikari."

The Skorupi didn't respond. It just kept clicking, watching her.

"Uh…I'm sorry i-if I d-disturbed y-you." Hikari apologized. "I-I'm just p-passing through. I-I'm lost. Do y-you know w-where any w-water is?"

Still no reply. The clicking continued.

"N-no? Okay." Hikari said. "I'll j-just be g-going now. B-Bye!"

The moment she took a single step backward, the Skorupi charged. Caught off-guard, the only thing Hikari could do was duck and curl into a ball. The Skorupi was upon her in seconds and bit her ear. Yelping, Hikari threw it off and ran. The Skorupi pursued her, intent on capturing its new meal.

"L-leave me alone!" Hikari cried.

The Skorupi sped up and fired glowing purple needles from its mouth. The Poison Sting hit the ground around the Eevee while a single purple needle hit her left hind leg. Yelping, Hikari tried to move faster but the wound pulsed with pain.

Suddenly, another Skorupi emerged from in front of her. Three more appeared to her right and four to her left. Two more joined the one pursuing her. Surrounded on all sides by the little scorpions, Hikari had no choice but to stop. She was trapped.

"W-What do you w-want with m-me?" Hikari whimpered, but she already knew the answer. _They want to eat me._

A few seconds passed before the Skorupi pack struck, jumping at her as a group. Exhausted, Hikari tried to fight back with Tackle and Sand-Attack. The Skorupi kept using Poison Sting and the occasional Bite. One particularly sharp needle struck her left side, causing more pain than usual.

Hikari's strength began to dwindle and her attacks weakened, leaving the young Eevee wide open to many of the Skorupi's attacks. Hikari made a last ditch effort to run, only to be blocked by a pair of Skorupi. There was no escape.

_I'm dead,_ the Eevee thought. _They're going to kill me. I can't believe this is happening!_

Caught up in her thoughts, she never saw one of the Skorupi pounce upon her until it hit her. Landing flat on her back, Hikari watched in horror as the Poison-type raised its stinger tail to deal the finishing blow. If it hit her, she would die.

"Great Arceus, no!" Hikari screamed as the tail descended.

.o.o.o.o.

In another dimension, a pair of blue eyes opened. "Did you hear that?" it asked.

Another pair of eyes, these ones red, opened. "Yeah," it replied. "Someone called for Arceus. That hasn't happened in nearly a thousand years!"

"Should we go?" the blue eyes asked, almost begging.

"We shouldn't meddle with them," another pair of red eyes argued. "They abandoned us. Why should we help them now?"

"One of them needs help!" the blue eyes cried. "Please!"

"Do what you want," a pair of pink eyes said. "Just don't be seen."

"Right! I'll be back in a bit!" The blue eyes vanished, leaving their dimension behind as it plunged toward the wasteland that was Earth.

.o.o.o.o.

Hikari tried to curl into a ball, screaming as the tail quickly descended upon her. _This is it! I'm going to die! Have the gods truly abandoned us, after all?_

"Hyah!" a voice cried.

Hikari squeezed her eyes shut as a bright light appeared. The weight on her chest vanished as the Skorupi was blown away by the powerful wind that suddenly whipped up. The other Skorupi, terrified, fled for cover. Once they were all gone, the wind died down.

Blinking, the Eevee slowly got up in time to see a blur of pink descend into the dark clouds above. "Huh?" Looking around, she realized that the Skorupi were gone. "What…was that? Could that have been…?"

Pain suddenly shot through her left side, drawing her attention to it. Pulling out all the needles from the Skorupi's Poison Sting, she noticed a purple liquid oozing from her side. She knew what it was. Poison…

Her vision started to grow dark along the edges and her hearing grew fuzzy. For a moment, Hikari was certain she heard a voice. She could see a pair of dark shapes in the distance, running toward her. As they drew nearer, her vision grew darker.

"Oh my! Hang on, kid!" a voice called.

"She's poisoned. Let's take her back to the village!" the other said.

"Look! She's an exile!"

"Who cares? She'll die without medical care! She's just a child!"

"Ugh…fine. Let's go!"

"Right behind you, dear!"

A pair of hands grabbed the poisoned Eevee and carried her, the warmth coming from the figure causing her to drift unconscious. _I'm dying,_ she thought just moments before blacking out.

High above the trio, a pink cat watched from its perch in the dark clouds. "Hah! I told them!" it laughed. "Not everyone hates us! She misses us. This'll teach those guys to treat me like a child!" Turning, it vanished into the clouds as it journeyed back to the new home of the Legendary Pokemon.


	4. Chapter 3: Vs Buneary

Chapter 3: Vs Buneary

Hikari woke up and felt her throat burning. Coughing weakly, she heard a soft voice and felt a pair of hands lift her up. A bowl was lifted to her lips and fresh water ran down her parched throat, soothing her coughs. Drinking the water hungrily, she whined in sadness when it was taken from her.

"Now, now, kid. That's no way for a young lady to act," a voice said.

"Dear, she's just a child. Who knows how long she's been in that desert?" another voice said.

"Haven't you seen her paw? She's an exile!" the first voice cried.

"I know but we couldn't let her die! Our way of life may be cruel but that doesn't mean we have to be cruel, too!" the second voice argued.

"…Fine," the first voice muttered. "But if we get caught with her, you take the blame."

"Agreed," the second voice promised. "Another bowl, dear?"

"Sure," the first voice said.

The young Eevee forced her eyes open and blinked tiredly. Her side flared with pain but it was weaker than when those Skorupi attacked her. Looking around, she soon realized a bowl of water had been placed in front of her. Drinking it quickly, the pain in her throat decreased and she sighed in relief.

"Thank you," Hikari said.

"No problem, dear. Out here, a helping hand can mean the different between life and death," a voice giggled.

"Agreed," another voice said. "Even if she's an exile, a Pokemon is still a Pokemon. Seeing as she can talk, she isn't wild."

Hikari looked up to see a pair of Lopunny seated near her. It took her a second to realize that one of them was male. The female giggled and held out an Oran Berry, which Hikari devoured eagerly. The male just shook his head and sighed.

"Feeling better, dear? That poison sure took its toll on you," the female commented.

"Much better," Hikari replied. "Thank you for saving me. I'm Hikari."

"My name is Lola," the female Lopunny introduced. "That there is my husband, Trevor."

"Nice to meet you," Hikari said. "I'm sorry to have caused you any trouble."

"You should be!" Trevor snapped. "If we're found with you, we'll be exiled too! Exiles are to be left for dead, even if they're children! Yet my wife insisted on helping you! Be grateful!"

"Dear, that's enough!" Lola pleaded.

"Hmph! Fine…" Trevor turned away, crossing his arms angrily. "Hurry and eat, kid. You have to leave town as soon as possible. Exiles aren't allowed in the villages, after all. No exceptions, either."

"Can you tell me where I am?" Hikari asked.

"You're in Sabaku Village, dear." Lola replied. "It's one of the few villages left in this vast desert. Where do you come from?"

"Sunako Village," Hikari replied.

"Isn't that near the center of the desert?" Trevor asked. "Not a very good place for children, so I hear. Doesn't that bounty hunter Lucario live there?"

"He's the village guardian," Hikari corrected.

"So he may say," Trevor muttered. "Bounty hunters care little for residents and only for money. As long as they get paid, they'll do whatever they're ordered to and follow the highest bidder like a puppy. Pathetic, the lot of them!"

"Lucario isn't pathetic! He protects us!" Hikari cried.

"Did he protect you when you got exiled?" Trevor countered.

"…No," Hikari whimpered. _Lucario…he threw me out,_ she thought.

"I thought so," Trevor said. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a business to run. Do what you need to and get out."

Trevor shoved aside a flap of canvas and stalked out into the village. Hikari realized they were in a big tent made of canvas that kept out the wind. Lola sighed and stood up, digging through a chest nearby. It was filled with many strange items.

"Aha! Here it is!" Lola cried.

"What?" Hikari asked, walking over despite her aching side. "What were you looking for, Lola?"

"This old traveling bag my husband used to use up until Honey was born," Lola explained. "He doesn't use it anymore, so I want you to have it. You might find some interesting things out there in the desert and I'll give you a few things to help you out, especially against those nasty Skorupi."

"Really? Thank you so much, Lola!" Hikari cried. "Why are you so kind to me?"

"My son, Roberto, was exiled two years ago for declaring that our world was pathetic." Lola explained sadly. "He said that maybe the gods never helped us because they wanted us to die. Lickilicky, the guardian of our village, exiled him right then and there. Roberto didn't care. If anything, he was happy to be exiled. I haven't seen him since."

"I'm sorry, Lola. I didn't mean for you—" Hikari started.

"No, no," Lola cut in. "It's quite alright, dear. I feel bad when children, like you and my son, are exiled. Aren't you supposed to be our future? How can that be if you all die?"

"Lola…" Hikari said softly.

The Lopunny sighed, wiping away her tears. "Regardless, life must go on. I couldn't help my son but I'm determined to help you have a fighting chance out there, Hikari."

"Thanks, Lola," the Eevee said, smiling. "You really are a kind person."

"Thank you, Hikari." Lola said, smiling back. "Now then, here are a few things you can take with you before you go. A few Oran Berries to keep your energy up, a couple of Pecha Berries to counter poison, a pair of Rawst Berries for burns, a few Chesto Berry to stave off sleep, Cheri Berries to prevent paralysis, and one of my two Sitrus Berries that you can use in an emergency."

"Sitrus Berries? What're those?" Hikari asked.

"They're a supercharged version of an Oran Berry and restore double the amount of energy that Oran Berries restore." Lola explained. "They're extremely hard to come by, so think before you use it. It's for emergency use only, okay?"

"Okay!" Hikari nodded, studying the golden berry. _Don't eat the gold berry unless you're in big trouble. Got it!_

"Now then, a few things to help you fight off enemies," Lola continued. "They may not deal a ton of damage but they're useful nonetheless. A few Geo Pebbles and Sticks for long-distance foes, some Blast Seeds for fighting off close-range enemies, a couple of Heal Seeds in case you don't want to waste berries getting rid of pesky status ailments like freezing or poison, a few Sleep Seeds for keeping opponents out of your fur for a bit, and some Stun Seeds to keep your foes from attacking you temporarily. I'm also giving you one of my most beloved items."

"What is it?" Hikari asked.

Lola held out a single seed. "This is a Reviver Seed, an item of rarity in these parts. If you faint in battle or are near death, this will revive you and restore all of your energy. Use it wisely, Hikari."

"I will," Hikari promised.

"I'm also giving you some Max Elixirs and Apples to keep your strength up," Lola added. "This pack may seem a tad heavy but you'll get used to it. It might even make you stronger, dear."

"That's a good thing, at least." Hikari commented.

"It's not much but take this, too." Lola added.

The Lopunny handed the Eevee a small pouch that let out a clink when Hikari picked it up. Peering inside, she nearly had a heart attack. "Money?" she cried.

"It's only a mere 200 poke," Lola said. "Trevor brings in enough money to support us. 200 poke won't make any difference. Take it and use it as you will, dear."

"Thank you so much, Lola!" Hikari cried, hugging the Lopunny.

Lola smiled, hugging Hikari back. "Just promise me you'll stay safe, dear."

"I promise, Lola." Hikari said.

"Rest a bit before you leave, okay? I'll check your injury one more time to make sure you're fully healed." Lola insisted.

"Okay," Hikari curled up on the ground, allowing her eyes to drift shut. After about another hour of rest, the Eevee was ready to go. "Thank you for everything, Lola."

"No problem, dear. You stay safe, okay?" Lola said.

"Don't worry. I will." Hikari nodded, heaving the pack on her back and leaving the tent. "Bye!"

"Bye, dear!" Lola cried, waving as the Eevee headed down the dirt path that led to the village exit.

The moment Hikari reached the exit, she quickly found herself confronted by a Buneary. "What did my parents want with a filthy scrap of fur like you?" she demanded.

"Lola and Trevor are your parents?" Hikari asked. "They were helping me after I got attacked by a pack of Skorupi in the desert. They're really nice."

"I don't care! Stay away from my parents!" the Buneary cried.

"I'm leaving right now!" Hikari argued.

"Good! Go!" The Buneary stepped aside. "Get out of here and don't come back!"

Hikari quietly passed the Buneary, not understanding why she was so angry. The Buneary huffed, glaring as the fox-like Pokemon went by…only to spot the pack on Hikari's back. Her _father's_ pack!

"You stupid thief!" the bunny-like Pokemon cried. "Give that back, you thief!"

Hikari screamed as the Buneary jumped on her, ripping the pack away and tossing it to the side. Hikari backed up, terrified of the angry Buneary. The Buneary quickly advanced, her fist raised.

"How dare you try to steal from my parents? I'll make you wish you never set foot in this village, thief!" she cried.

"I'm not a thief! Your mother gave those to me!" Hikari tried to explain.

"Yeah right! Save it for Lickilicky!" the Buneary growled. "When I'm done with you, you'll be begging him for mercy!"

"Wait! You've got it all wrong!" Hikari pleaded.

"Shut up!" the Buneary barked. "Take this, you dumb thief!"

The Eevee quickly dodged, avoiding the Buneary's Pound. Hikari quickly dodged two more Pounds before retaliating with Tackle. The Buneary suddenly pulled back her fist and struck, hitting Hikari right in the chest. The Eevee gasped for air and tried to dodge another Pound, only to find her muscles refused to move. She was paralyzed! But how?

"How do you like my Thunder Punch, thief? My father passed the move down to me as an Egg Move, along with a few others," the Buneary bragged. "You give up?"

"I won't give up and admit to something I didn't do!" Hikari cried. "I'm not a thief!"

"You can beg all you want before our village guardian, Lickilicky!" the Buneary snapped. "You may as well know who gets you into jail. My name's Honey! What's your name, thief? Or don't you have one?"

"My name is Hikari! And I am not a thief!" Hikari declared.

"Prove it! Defeat me and I might decide to believe you!" Honey said.

"Fine!" Hikari agreed.

Honey struck with Pound, following up with another Thunder Punch. Hikari finally felt her muscles release and dodged the Thunder Punch, hitting Honey from behind with Tackle. When the Buneary turned around, Hikari used Sand-Attack to throw sand in her face. Honey yelped, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sand. The Eevee crashed into her chest, sending the bunny-like Pokemon crashing to the ground.

"Give up yet, Honey?" Hikari asked.

"No way!" Honey growled, staggering to her paws. "Take this! Fire Pu—"

"RUN! HE'S BACK!" a few voices screamed. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

Pokemon stampeded past the pair, terrified. Honey turned to stare in shock as a group of serpentine Pokemon emerged from the desert, slithering into the village. There were six Ekans and a single Arbok, all of them radiating strength and cruelty. Honey stepped back, frightened. Hikari dashed toward her bag, readying to flee.

"Well, well, would you look at thissss? Everybody fled!" one of the Ekans hissed, drawing out the 's' like many snake-like Pokemon tended to.

"You are right, brother. But they cannot run from usss!" another Ekans hissed.

"You're quite right, my friendsss! Ssso what if they run? A good chassse isss sssomething we need, anyway," the Arbok hissed, his tongue flicking out.

"Not all of them ran away, Orochi! Two of them ssstayed behind!" one of the Ekans hissed, pointing to Honey and Hikari. "Can we have a sssnack before the chassse?"

The Arbok, Orochi, turned his attention to the two Normal-types. "No," he replied. "You guysss go after the villagersss. Thessse two are mine."

"Yesss, Orochi!" one of the Ekans hissed. "Let'sss move, guysss! We have villagersss to chassse!"

"No! Don't!" Honey cried.

"Why not? A sssnake needsss to eat," Orochi said. "Don't worry, though. You'll be joining them sssoon, little Buneary."

"I…I…" Honey struggled to speak, trembling in fear. "I won't let you! I'm tired of you guys barging into our village and treating us like prey! I thought you guys had a deal with Lickilicky!"

"We do, little Buneary," Orochi said. "Our deal with him isss that we do not decccimate the entire populatttion of thisss village. There wasss nothing in our deal about usss ccceasssing our attacksss altogether."

"What?" Honey squeaked. "No, you're wrong! Lickilicky wouldn't let us die! He wouldn't—"

"He would, little Buneary. And he hasss." Orochi said firmly.

The six Ekans slowly slithered past as Honey fell to her hands and knees, tears running down her cheeks. Hikari looked at the passing Poison-types in fear. Honey's parents could be killed! How could their village guardian be so cruel?

"No," Honey sobbed. "He wouldn't! He promised to protect us! He promised!"

"He lied, little Buneary," Orochi hissed, slithering closer. "You will not need to worry about him anymore, though. You and your friendsss will not have to worry about anything anymore."

Just as the Arbok prepared to strike the crying Buneary, Hikari crashed into his stomach with Tackle. Orochi hissed in pain, retreating. He glared at the Eevee, forked tongue flicking out angrily.

"How dare you, little Eevee?" Orochi hissed. "Fine! If you ssso insssissst, you will be my firssst meal!"

"Go ahead and try! I won't let you hurt anyone!" Hikari cried.

"Ssso brave," Orochi commented. "Yet ssso ssstupid, too! Prepare to die, little Eevee!"

"Never!" Hikari growled. _What am I doing? This is insane! He'll kill me! But still…I can't stand by while this happens! I have to do something!_

High in the clouds above, Mew watched. "Go get them, Hikari," he whispered. "Get them and share our story."


	5. Chapter 4: Vs Arbok

Chapter 4: Vs Arbok

"You are foolisssh, little Eevee." Orochi hissed, his eyes narrowed in rage. "You will pay greatly for attacking me. Apologizzze and I ssshall make it quick. Refussse and you will sssuffer a long and painful death. Choossse your anssswer wisssely, little Eevee."

"How about neither? You just leave!" Hikari cried.

"Wrong anssswer, little Eevee," Orochi hissed. "If you won't choossse, then I will choossse for you. A long and painful death!"

Hikari screamed as the Poison-type dove toward her, dashing away as fast as her paws could carry her. The Arbok's tail slammed into the ground in front of her, cutting off her escape route. Hikari ran in a different direction, only to be stopped by Orochi's tail again. Suddenly, his whole body was around her. She jumped up, only to be snagged between two heavily-muscled coils. She was trapped.

A third coil wrapped around her neck, beginning to squeeze. The Eevee gasped, her breathing becoming ragged as her windpipe was constricted. Orochi rose above her, his hood spreading wider as he smiled maliciously. He opened his mouth, a thin wisp of black smoke rising from his jaws.

"Sssay goodbye, little Eevee," Orochi hissed.

"Ho…Honey! He…Help!" Hikari wheezed, barely able to breathe.

The Buneary slowly looked up and gasped. "Hikari!" she cried.

"Now die!" Orochi hissed, his fang glowing bright red. "Fire Fa—"

"Pound!" Honey yelled, ramming into Orochi's coils as hard as she could.

Orochi yelped, the pain of the attack throwing his strike off mark. Instead of hitting Hikari, his glowing fangs imbedded themselves in his own coils! Screeching in agony, he uncurled and writhed in agony as steam erupted from the bite. Hikari broke free, joining Honey a short distance from the Arbok.

"Thanks, Honey!" Hikari said.

"Whatever," Honey shrugged. "I still think you're a thief. This doesn't change anything between us. We still have to finish our fight after we beat this guy."

"You actually think we can win?" Hikari asked.

"I hope we can or we'll end up as snake food!" Honey replied.

Hikari just stared at the Buneary in shock. _I can't believe I actually thought she really meant that we could beat him,_ she thought.

"Grrrr! You little…pessstsss!" Orochi shouted. "You're not even worth making a meal of anymore! I'll rip you both to ssshredsss ssso tiny, not even the Ssskorupi will eat them!"

"Well, that's better than being eaten." Honey commented. "Too bad your plan won't work. I don't plan on dying anytime soon."

"Me either!" Hikari cried. "We'll defeat you!"

"You? Defeat me?" Orochi laughed. "You little onesss are delusssional! You are a pair of young Normal-typesss that are most likely not even at Level 15 yet. I am a Level 20 Poissson-type. You ssstand no chanccce, bratsss!"

"You won't know until you try." Honey said.

"Then you will die trying!" Orochi hissed. "Take thisss! Acccid!"

"Run!" Honey shouted, quickly dashing away.

The Eevee followed Honey's example, racing in the other direction. Orochi spat out dark green sludge that hissed and steamed the moment it touched the ground. Hikari did her best to avoid it, knowing how dangerous Acid could be if it got on her. The Arbok soon ceased his attack, panting for breath.

"Sand-Attack!" Hikari cried, kicking sand at the purple serpent.

Orochi smirked as a cloud of sand consumed him. Hikari and Honey cheered, only to stare in shock as the sand cleared. Orochi was gone. All that remained was a hole in the ground.

"Maybe he left," Hikari suggested.

"I doubt it." Honey growled, looking around. "He's just hiding. Be care—"

The Buneary never got to finish her sentence. The ground suddenly exploded beneath her as the Arbok attacked, her fangs closing around her chest as an icy mist erupted from his jaws. Honey screamed, trying to tear loose as Orochi slithered out of the hole.

"Let her go!" Hikari demanded.

"Gladly!" Orochi tossed Honey, watching in delight as she collided with the Eevee.

"Honey! Are you okay?" Hikari asked.

"I think so. Ow!" Honey clutched her left side, shivering.

"Here, let me see," the Eevee said, pushing away the Buneary's paw.

Blood dripped from the shallow puncture wounds, but that's not what frightened Hikari. It was the ice clinging to the fur surrounding the wound. The ice was slowly spreading, intent on swallowing Honey whole and freezing her. The Eevee glared at Orochi.

"Enjoy a tassste of my Iccce Fang, little Buneary? Cool, isssn't it?" The Arbok laughed at his little joke.

Suddenly remembering what Lola told her about status ailments, Hikari dragged her pack over and grabbed a Heal Seed. Honey devoured it and the ice melted, becoming a puddle at the Buneary's feet. Honey stood up, ready to fight again.

"Up again ssso sssoon, little Buneary?" Orochi asked. "It would've been better if you had jussst remained on the ground."

"I don't know why Lickilicky may have made a deal like that with you, but I won't stand by and watch my friends and family disappear because of you!" Honey cried. "Once I'm done beating you up, I'm getting answers from Lickilicky, even if it means being exiled. How can he be the village guardian if he treats us like we can be replaced?"

"That isss how he viewsss you and your little village, little Buneary," Orochi said. "He only ssseesss the money and not the individual Pokemon. You mean nothing to him. You are sssimply hisss way of living a life of luxxxury. If you die, he'll just find othersss to sssupply him with the lossst money."

"You're wrong! Lickilicky cares about us!" Honey argued.

"Doesss he really?" Orochi countered. "Did he care when he exxxiled villagersss for ssstanding up to him? Did he care when the villagersss fell ill and couldn't afford doctorsss? Did he care when young Pokemon were dying in the ssstreetsss due to ssstarvation? I think not."

"No," Honey whispered. "You're…"

"Acccccept it, little Buneary. Life out here is harsssh. You are either a tool or a massster." Orochi said. "Lickilicky is the massster here. You and your fellow villagersss are toolsss. Even my gang and I are toolsss. That is the cccycle of thisss world. You are either the predator or the prey, the hunter or the hunted, the massster or the tool, whatever elssse comesss to your mind."

"I don't care!" Honey cried. "If we're so valuable because of our money, why does he exile us?"

"Why have toolsss that turn againssst their wielder?" Orochi replied. "Disssobedient toolsss can alwaysss be replaccced. Better sssafe than sssorry."

"Disobedient? Lickilicky's the one abusing us for our money! He's selling us out like Grumpig to slaughter!" Honey cried. "I'll make him regret treating us this way! After all we did for him, too!"

"You were foolsss," Orochi hissed. "Onccce a bounty hunter, alwaysss a bounty hunter. An Electabuzzzzz cannot change itsss ssstripesss, after all. Money isss all thossse bounty huntersss sssee. The livesss of othersss mean nothing to them."

"I'll know the truth when I confront Lickilicky." Honey said. "But first, I'll take you down and make sure you never come back to our village!"

"Try it, little Buneary," Orochi dared. "But I will make mealsss of you both yet!"

"Hikari, let's beat him together." Honey suggested.

"Sure! Let's do this!" the Eevee nodded.

"Take thisss! Bite!" Orochi hissed, launching himself at Hikari.

"Sand-Attack!" Hikari kicked sand into the Arbok's face, making him break off of his attack and shake his head wildly.

"Fire Punch!" Honey cried, slamming her flaming fist into the Poison-type's underbelly.

Orochi screamed in pain, slithering backward and curling into a ball. He hissed in pain as his scales burnt, tears springing to his eyes. "Curssse you, bratsss!" he hissed, forked tongue flicking out.

"Give up yet?" Honey growled.

"Yesss," Orochi nodded. "I'll leave!"

"And don't ever come back!" Honey barked.

A loud scream suddenly pierced the air, causing both Normal-types to whirl around. The six Ekans quickly slithered past, all of them covered in black soot. Orochi quickly joined them as they fled to the desert, leaving Sabaku Village far behind them.

"What was that?" Hikari asked.

"Mom!" Honey cried, dashing back toward the village center.

The pair reached the village square and shoved past a few villagers, reaching the center. Honey's parents were there, Trevor clutching his wife's limp body in his arms. Honey darted forward, eyes filled with tears. Lola was…dead.

"Lola… No…" Hikari whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

"What's going on out here?" a loud voice boomed. "I'm trying to take a nap and I wake up to screaming!"

The crowd parted as Lickilicky, Sabaku Village's guardian, made his way into the square. Honey glared at him, Orochi's words echoing in her head. Hikari stared at him in fear. Trevor didn't respond, crying as he held Lola's body.

"Well? What happened?" Lickilicky bellowed.

"That Arbok and his Ekans gang came back!" Honey snapped. "You promised that they were gone for good!"

"Honey, that's enough!" Trevor cried.

"Arbok? Promise?" Lickilicky repeated. "I don't remember that."

"Probably because you were sleeping, you fat piece of—"

"Honey!" Trevor shouted.

"You should listen to your father, little one." Lickilicky commented. "Don't blame me for this. It's your own fault for not knowing better. You think a simple promise would stop them? They're criminals. It's what they do."

"Then why don't you stop them?" Honey demanded.

"It's pointless, that's why." Lickilicky replied. "I can't protect you from every little threat. You have to defend yourselves sometimes, too!"

"You fat shallot! I'll—" Honey snarled, stomping forward.

"Honey, stop! It's not worth it!" Hikari cried, pushing the angry Buneary back.

Lickilicky froze, his mouth wide open as he noticed the scar on Hikari's paw. "An exile," he said. "Who let an exile into the village?"

"Wha—oh no!" Hikari yelped, pressing her scarred paw to her chest.

"You're a…?" Honey looked at the Eevee in shock.

"Well? Who did it?" Lickilicky shouted. "Step forward now or I'll exile everyone in this village!"

Trevor struggled to speak but nobody could hear him over the roaring of the crowd. "I…I…"

"Dad," Honey whimpered. Then she remembered when her parents had first returned from the desert that morning.

_Honey bounded up to her parents, pleased to see them back. She suddenly halted, spotting a bundle of brown fur in her mother's arms. "Mom?" she asked._

"_I found her in the desert," Lola replied. "I couldn't leave her. She's just a child."_

"_But she's a—" Trevor argued, only to be cut off by his wife._

"_I don't care!" Lola snapped._

_Trevor sighed and followed Lola back toward their tent. Honey was certain she saw an X-shaped scar on the bundle's left front paw but deemed it her imagination._

"Somebody step forward!" Lickilicky yelled, growing impatient. "I'll give them to the count of five! One…two…"

_I can't let dad get exiled,_ Honey thought.

Then she remembered what she had told Orochi. She'd get answers from Lickilicky, even if it meant being exiled. Her mother was dead and her brother was probably dead in a ditch somewhere in the world. Her father's business meant everything to him. To lose that would be to lose his very soul.

"Three…four…fi—"

"I did!" Honey shouted.

"Honey, no!" Trevor cried.

"You let the exile into our village, little one?" Lickilicky asked.

"Yes," Honey nodded.

"You know what the punishment for doing that is, right?" Lickilicky continued. "You will be exiled as well. Are you certain you're not covering for somebody else?"

"I'm certain," Honey said.

"Honey! Lickilicky, please! She's lying!" Trevor pleaded. "I'm the one who did it, not her!"

"Dad, don't try to protect me! Mom's dead and if you leave, I may as well be dead." Honey snapped. "I'll take responsibility for my own actions, dad. That's what you always wanted from me, right? Well, now you're getting it."

"Very bold for a child," Lickilicky said. "But regardless, your punishment must be carried out! Houndoom!"

The devil dog seated nearby Lickilicky pounced, pinning Honey to the ground. Lifting a paw, he slashed it across her left paw. Trevor jumped up, attempting to stop him but the Fire-type tossed him aside with one kick. Honey screamed in pain.

"Lickilicky, I beg of you! Stop!" Trevor cried.

"Stop complaining! This is for the good of the village!" Lickilicky said firmly. "Do you want to join her?"

"Dad, stop! I can handle this!" Honey yelled.

"Honey," Trevor whispered, fresh tears running down his cheeks.

A second swipe of Houndoom's paw and the familiar X-shaped scar appeared on Honey's paw. Leaping away, the Fire-type licked his claws clean and returned to Lickilicky's side. Lickilicky smiled.

"Now then, you will both leave the village immediately!" Lickilicky demanded. "Nobody is allowed to speak to or assist these two exiles in any shape or form! Understood?"

"UNDERSTOOD!" the villagers cried.

"…Understood," Trevor whimpered.

The crowd parted, going back to their tents or huts. Lickilicky smirked, headed back to his own home with Houndoom in tow. Trevor said a quiet goodbye and left, taking Lola's body with him. Honey wiped away the tears that had appeared when Houndoom had marked her.

"Now what?" Honey asked.

"I don't know," Hikari muttered. "Let's get back to the exit and grab my—I mean, your dad's pack."

"It doesn't matter who it belongs to now." Honey said.

The pair headed toward the exit and picked up the pack Lola had given Hikari only a few hours ago. Hikari hauled it over her back and left Sabaku Village. Honey followed her until the village was a mere blur in the distance.

"Well, it was nice meeting you. Uh…I guess this is goodbye." Hikari said awkwardly.

"Goodbye? I was thinking we'd stick together." Honey argued. "That is, if you want a traveling buddy."

"Really?" the Eevee asked.

"Sure," Honey shrugged. "It beats being all alone out here."

"Okay! So, we stick together." Hikari said.

"Yep!" Honey nodded. "So, where do we go?"

"Anywhere, I guess." Hikari replied.

"Then we better get moving," Honey suggested.

"Yeah!" Hikari nodded. _At least I'm not alone anymore. I'm glad!_

The Eevee and the Buneary kept walking across the hot sand, searching for where they would end up next. Mew silently followed them from high in the skies, a smile on his face. _This is only the start of your adventure, Hikari,_ he thought.


End file.
